Bakesale Betty
| Address: | 5098 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94609, USA |
| Phone: | +1 510-985-1213 |
| Site: | bakesalebetty.com |
| Rating: | 4.4 |
| Working: | Closed 11AM–2PM 11AM–2PM 11AM–2PM 11AM–2PM 11AM–2PM Closed |
Location
Photos 1
Reviews 6
TI
tim rogers
The service is "Excellent" because I genuinely LOVE no-nonsense restaurants where every employee is yelling constantly. They know whats on the menu, and if youre not a jerk, so do you. Get in there, scream your desire, grab your big paper bag, and get out. "Decor" is the scenic outdoors of Temescal, which are always excellent. The tables are ironing boards! If you think thats hilarious, it sure is hilarious. This "excellent" rating occasionally drops to "poor" (when its raining). The food is great. I looked on Yelp once and sort of cried at all the one-star reviews calling the place "overrated" because you can get cheaper chicken sandwiches at KFC. Look, man, its not my fault that you only eat here when youre hung over and also that you have no taste in anything. This place rules; the bread should be in the Smithsonian. Id watch a Discovery Channel documentary about how they make the tofu they put on the tofu sandwich. My first dozen or so visits I got the chocolate chip cookies, because I went to college in Indiana and I am that sort of person; now, its always the ginger molasses, because that is an original, delicious thing. A cookie and some lemonade are a good thing to enjoy here. Before eating Bakesale Bettys pumpkin pie, Id never voluntarily paid for pumpkin pie, nor had I ever eaten an entire slice by myself. I enjoyed it so much that I ordered pumpkin pie at several other restaurants . . . and realized that pumpkin pie can get pretty darn gross. So that was a pretty neat experience.
AM
Amy Schroll
6/25/13 SPICY COLESLAW This review is for the food only. It was picked up by a friend so I cant speak for service. When a coworker asked if we wanted chicken sandwiches picked up I happily accepted the offer. Shortly after, I realized there had been no mention of what we wanted on each of our sandwiches. I crossed my fingers for something good. When the lunch delivery arrived, I handed over $10 in exchange for a large, heavy sandwich. I cringed at the sight of fried chicken, thinking about how soggy the chicken crust must be now after the drive from Oakland to Walnut Creek. There was no mustard, no tomato. My heart sank a little, and then I took a bite. Seriously, the BEST fried chicken sandwich Ive ever had. From the first bite to the last. It was still crunchy, the bread was amazing, and the coleslaw had jalapenos in it. How the f*** had I never heard of this place before? Bite after bite of goodness. I wish the slaw had been a little bit more spicy, but it was actually spicy enough that I know a handful of people who wouldnt have been able to eat the sandwich. Fresh parsley, fresh bread! Sooooo good! The chicken itself was a little dry, which was too bad because everything else was perfect. The coworker said that the line was horrendous too (45 minutes for him), and I see lots of pictures suggesting the same. But its totally worth it. Especially if you can get someone else to pick up lunch for you!
AL
Alyx Barranger
Very solid food, but didnt live up to the hype. I had heard of Bakesale Betty about 5 months ago from a co-worker who lives in the area and EVERYONE (I mean everyone) I mentioned it to said that this was going to be the best friend chicken sandwich I had ever had. It was good, and I dont regret eating it, but it definitely wasnt the best. We got there right when it opened and there was already a line outside even though it was a rainy day. Took about 5-10 minutes to get through the line which was fine. The employees are very friendly which made the experience pleasant. It was kind of tough to figure out where to actually eat since they only have outdoor seating and it was raining, so that was a bummer. The sandwich itself definitely had some good flavor to it. It was a little spicy, but not in an unpleasant way. I enjoyed the slaw that they used as well. My favorite part was the fried chicken itself, but the sandwich had way too much bun. I can definitely understand the more recent reviews which apparently note a downsizing of the chicken. The sandwich would have been a lot better with more of it. However, in the end, I enjoyed it hence the 4 stars. Not a place I would crave and drive all the way out to, but if you are in the area, it is worth at least one visit.
TU
Tu Lam
I love the Strawberry Shortcake which I usually get to go because I am way to stuffed after getting the awesome fried chicken sandwich. Also the cookies are great and can keep for several days. The brownies are just right, not too sweet and the chocolate isnt overpowering. You get two choices with or without nuts. The lemon bar is tart, with a nice flaky thin crust. Scones are great, flaky, not to sweet, just the right amount of density, and great combinations of ingredients. The staff is over the top friendly and the service is quick. At any time, they will start passing out samples, once it was ginger snap cookies, another time it was slices of pie, breads, or lemon icie). All were good, I just wish I could eat more. Just be sure to get there a bit earlier so you can grab a iron board table outside. My youngest is hooked on the chicken sandwich and pumpkin bread. My oldest doesnt care for meat, but talks about how good the sandwich is and also wants a slice of strawberry short cake to go, you know, for later. I just want it all. Update: 4/8/08 Just went there today for lunch. They now have a chicken salad, you heard right. Its cole slaw with the chicken and it comes in hugh container. And strawberry shortcakes are back in season.
WI
Will Kivinski
Ive been here a dozen or so times over the years. Just imagine for a moment: A Sunny Day in Oakland, Ironing Boards, A Long Line, A Live Musician Working For Money. Oh and amazingly delicious Fried Chicken Sandwiches! Bakesale Betty is one of those places that does one thing really well and streamlines operations to serve as many people as possible. They try to have fun while theyre at it. The chicken sandwich is a fried chicken breast with oil-based jalapeno cole slaw (as opposed to mayo-based) on an acme sandwich roll. I suggest grabbing a packet or two of Franks Red Hot on the side with your sandwich. If youre watching carbs, you can get a "salad" version minus the bun. They sell a few baked goods, including cookies and strawberry shortcake. If the line is long, theyll occasionally hand out free cookies or drinks while you wait. A nice customer service gesture! My only gripe with them is their consistency. Ive been a couple of times where the chicken was dry and overcooked. It doesnt happen often, but its a shame when it does. Also, I wish the rolls were toasted because that would elevate the sandwich up a notch! Grab a seat at an Ironing Board with a friend or sit down with people you dont know and make new friends!
JE
Jennifer Wong
This is hands-down the best fried chicken sandwich Ive ever had in my life. First of all, the chicken has an excellent spice. You dont notice it until your mouth is on fire. I liked to load it up with more Louisiana hot sauce. Second, the slaw is what makes this sandwich what it is. It is not doused in mayo or drippy. Its both fresh and refreshing. It has a good bite because of the acidity level. Third, the sandwich uses an Acme torpedo bun. I am not a huge fan of the torpedo bun because I dont like the hard, crusty ends that filling never gets to, but it works in this instance. It doesnt get soggy or lose its shape. Its a nice, hardy bread that actually holds the insides. Of the bread, slaw, and chicken, my favorite component is the slaw. That is why I often just order the fried chicken salad, which is the fried chicken on a large bed of slaw with no bread. They also have a brisket sandwich which is pretty good and is good with horseradish sauce. And of course, this is a bakery, so they have awesome baked goodies too! You can catch a glimpse of Betty and her blue hair sometimes.
